Illegal slaughtering goes on unabated across Ludhiana city

Despite a blanket ban on the slaughtering of animals being imposed in the city, the practice goes on unabated. The city has hundreds of meat shops, where slaughtering is a routine practice. The Municipal Corporation has been taking frequent action against the illegal practice but shopkeepers are hell-bent on breaking the rule.

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The MC has been directing shopkeepers to get animals slaughtered at the MC’s modern slaughter house at Haibowal dairy complex and avoid slaughtering at their shops. The meat is properly checked by veterinary doctors and certified at the modern facility which ensures that it is healthy for consumption.

Notably, cracking the whip on adamant violators MC officials recently sealed three meat shops over illegal slaughtering on Tajpur road and Chandigarh road (near Green Land School). The action was taken against adamant violators as they failed to curb the illegal practice even after warning/notices were issued by the civic body against them in the past.

During a recent visit, this correspondent found that the illegal practice of slaughtering at meat shops was going on at every nook and corner of the city, inluding Chandar Nagar, Haibowal, Laxmi Nagar, Chandigarh road, Gill road, Hambran road, Jassian road, Jalandhar bypass, Old city areas, Gauahala road, Smarala chowk, Dugri etc. Shopkeepers, despite being aware they are committing an offence are following the practice without caring about the consequences.

“I know slaughtering animals in the shop is illegal and that we are supposed to take animals to the slaughter house but taking these animals there consumes a lot of time and resources. Though the charges are nominal, we don’t have time to spare, so slaughtering in the shop is just more convenient for us,” said a shopkeeper in Chandar Nagar, requesting anonymity.

Another meat shopkeeper said the reason shopkeepers were not taking animals to the slaughter house was that if they visited the slaughter house, they have to keep big freezers to store the meat. However, storing meat has a drawback as clients want fresh meat and not the one stored in the freezer. “Meat shopkeepers like me faces such issues. The authorities concerned should take action against those shopkeepers who are not maintaining hygiene, while slaughtering animals, but those who are following the safety norms should not be harassed,” added a shopkeeper.

“The Municipal Corporation has already launched a campaign against the illegal slaughtering of animals across the city and sealed some shops. In the coming days, more shops shall be sealed,” said MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal.